Storm
by Still My Heart
Summary: Hermione, weakened in the course of battle, is threatened by death at the hands of Lucius Malfoy. If she could just see Severus, everything would be alright. Based on the song Storm by Lifehouse.


_How long have I been in this storm?_

_So overwhelmed by the ocean's shapeless form_

_Water's getting harder to tread_

_With these waves crashing over my head_

-----

Hermione was flagging. She had taken a hit to the back sometime earlier and while it hadn't knocked her down, she was starting to feel the effects of the spell.

She fired another spell at the Death Eater she was fighting and he finally fell back, unconscious or dead, Hermione didn't know. She bound him anyway and stood, quickly surveying the battle that still raged around her.

As she ran to help Neville, she wondered where Severus was. She knew he was more than capable of taking care of himself, but a part of her still worried about him. So many of the Death Eaters hated him and any one of them would be more than happy to kill him, if only to earn a bit of Voldemort's favor.

Hermione looked up at Neville and saw his mouth moving but the din was such that she couldn't hear him. He reached for her suddenly but too late as a curse hit her square in the back. She was pushed forward into Neville and they both went sprawling. Neville reached around her with his wand and shouted a curseat their assailant, then he was yelling, asking Hermione if she was okay.

Hermione nodded and pushed herself to her feet. Truthfully the pain she had felt before had intensified but she turned away from Neville.

Another masked figure was making his way down a corridor and Hermione hurried after him, firing a Stunning spell at him. Her aim was off, the curse having begun to take its effect, and the spell blasted a hole in the wall. The Death Eater turned and fired at her. She ducked, stumbling slightly, and he ran from the room.

Hermione followed, listening for his footsteps.

She rounded a corner and saw his robes disappear through a door down the hall. She burst through the door after him and came upon more fighting. As she stepped into the room a spell hit her left shoulder and she stumbled back, gasping at the pain that spread through her arm like fire. A hole burned into her shirt and blood poured liberally from the wound in her shoulder. She hastily staunched the blood with her wand and fired back at her assailant.

She could see some members of the Order fighting other Death Eaters and some of them glanced her way. In her distraction she allowed another spell hit her stomach and she doubled over, managing to raise her wand to retaliate.

Hermione was quickly losing stamina; her entire body ached and her shoulder burned. On top of all of that, the curse she'd been hit with earlier in the Entrance Hall was starting to affect her mind and she felt disoriented, unsure of herself.

She wondered how much longer she could last and she wondered again where Severus was.

-----

_If I could just see you_

_Everything would be all right_

_If I'd see you_

_This darkness would turn to light_

-----

Rather than continue running, the Death Eater decided to stay around to fight Hermione. Watching him, she could see something almost like glee in his eyes, and she knew that he thought it would be easy work to kill her.

Hermione still had some fight left in her, though. She fired a spell of similar ferocity as the one that had burned her shoulder; the Death Eater turned at the last minute but the spell still caught his hip and he stumbled slightly.

Hermione raised her wand to disarm him but he beat her to it, the spell he used lifting her into the air and throwing her backward. She hit the wall and fell heavily to the floor. Her wand slipped from her hand and rolled a few inches away. She reached for it, wincing at the pain, but the Death Eater kicked it away. Hermione turned, struggling to at least sit up. She glanced up and finally recognized her opponent, now that his hood had fallen back.

Lucius Malfoy sneered down at her, removing his mask so that Hermione could clearly see his cold grey eyes.

He bent and grabbed her arms, hauling her to her feet and slamming her against the wall.

She cried out as he pressed his hand against her shoulder, grinding it against the wall, opening the wound again.

Lucius pushed her away and she stumbled, trying to keep her balance; she failed and hit the ground hard. Her head struck the floor and she gasped, watching as the world grew hazy.

She closed her eyes and let her mind wander.

-----

_And I will walk on water_

_And you will catch me if I fall_

_And I will get lost into your eyes_

_I know everything will be alright_

_I know everything is alright_

-----

"You're worried."

"I am."

"About what?"

"About Harry. About the fate of our world." Hermione turned. "About you."

Severus glanced at Hermione. "You don't need to worry about me."

"But I am, Severus, you - you turned against Voldemort, against the Death Eaters. They'll want to kill you."

"That's nothing new. I can take care of myself."

"I don't want to lose you," Hermione said softly. Severus looked at her, then moved closer to her. He placed his hand on her cheek and she tilted her head into his palm, raising her hand to cover his.

"You won't lose me. I prom-"

"Don't promise," Hermione murmured, tears shining in her eyes.

"I _promise_. We'll find each other again when it's all over."

Severus pulled Hermione into his arms and she rested her head on his chest, holding him tightly.

"Everything will be alright," Severus whispered.

-----

_I know you didn't bring me out here to drown_

_So why am I ten feet under and upside down_

_Barely surviving has become my purpose_

_Because I'm so used to living underneath the surface_

-----

Hermione opened her eyes, her gaze moving to the floor as she rolled onto her side, clutching her stomach.

She wondered vaguely why no one was helping her and then realized the room was empty. Somehow everyone else had left her alone in this room with Lucius and he was well on his way to killing her.

Lucius rolled Hermione onto her back with his foot, and she was forced again to look up at him. His lips moved, and though she couldn't hear his words, she had no doubt that he was throwing some sort of disparaging remark upon her, and then he raised his wand again.

He fired the curse at her and excruciating pain consumed her entire body. She felt as though she were on fire and she could hear herself screaming.

Lucius lifted the curse and Hermione gasped, turning and retching on the floor.

Lucius was laughing at her, but while the pain had been horrifying, it had also seemed to clear her head.

She looked up at Lucius, watching as he stepped forward. Ignoring the pain the movement created in her stomach, she kicked her left leg out, catching Lucius's thigh and sending him staggering back. His distraction had helped make her kick more effectual and he stopped laughing, staring at Hermione.

Hermione got to her knees and crawled as quickly as she could to where her wand lay on the floor.

Regaining his composure, Lucius raced over to Hermione, raising his foot and kicking her under her chin.

Hermione fell backward, tasting blood, but managed to hold on to her wand.

She raised the wand and blasted Lucius back, giving herself time to get shakily to her feet.

She approached Lucius, her wand raised, but he was ready for her, disarming her as he jumped to his feet.

He grabbed her throat and shoved her back against the wall, actually lifting her from the floor as he pinned her to the wall.

Hermione's retaliation had been painfully brief and she stared at Lucius as he squeezed her neck, cutting off her oxygen. She scratched at his arm with her nails but he continued to hold tight. Her foot shot out, kicking his knee and he dropped her.

Hermione fell hard, raising a hand to her sore neck, hearing the terrible sound the air made as it passed through her damaged windpipe.

Lucius looked angrier than ever as he glared down at her and he took out his wand again.

Hermione was quite sure he was going to kill her now and she had no other way to defend herself. She dropped her eyes from Lucius's face and then started as she saw Severus enter the room.

Her heart lifted immeasurably and before Lucius could finish his killing curse, Severus had fired off his own. Hermione blinked against the bright green light and then cried out as Lucius fell forward, landing on top of her.

Severus was quick to pull her off, shoving the body to the side. He stared at it a moment with obvious contempt and then kneeled next to Hermione.

He touched her face, her hair, his eyes taking in her visible injuries.

He was saying something but Hermione wasn't listening, just gazing into Severus's eyes.

After a moment she realized she was crying and as Severus stopped speaking, looking even more concerned, Hermione leaned forward.

Severus took her into his arms, holding her tightly and stroking her hair.

Hermione clung to him and he kissed the top of her head, whispering soothingly to her.

But even as she cried, even as the pain coursed through her body, she could hear the sounds of the battle that raged and she knew in her heart that they would win.

As long as they all had their victory and Hermione had Severus, everything would be alright.

-----

_And I will walk on water_

_And you will catch me if I fall_

_And I will get lost into your eyes_

_I know everything will be alright_

_I know everything is alright_

* * *

A/N: If you haven't heard this song ("Storm" by Lifehouse) I highly recommend that you do, because it's beautiful. To me, this fic seems a little different than some of my other stuff, but others may not see it that way... I dunno. Heh. At any rate, I hope you enjoyed it :D 


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